Spraying apparatus for use with printing presses



April 1939- A. D. DELLA CHIESA ET AL v2,153,548

SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING PRESSES I Filed March 11, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l 34.3. Della ('hzesa',

April 1939- A. D. DELLA CHIESA ET AL 2,153,543

SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 11, 1936 5 Shets-Sheet 2 FLUID- g -0 J I 20 I miln n, 4

April 11, 1939- A D. DELLA CHIESA ET AL 2,153,543

SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 11, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 11, 193 A. D. DELLA CHIESA ET AL 2,153,548

SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 11, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 All DeZZQ Ci'zz'esa,

I L. fifraezi'z'ch A ril 11, 1939- A D. 'DELLA CHIESA ET AL 2,153,548

'SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING FRESSES Filed March 11, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 LJ FTOeIZZ Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PRINTING PRESSES of Delaware Application March 11, 1936, Serial No. 68,344

Claims.

This invention relates to spraying mechanism adapted for use with printing presses and more particularly to a spraying mechanism operated wholly by compressed air and adapted to deliver a spray or blast upon successive printed sheets as they are stacked upon delivery from the press. In a broader aspect certain of the basic features of the invention are adapted to be used for delivering a blast of air upon the sheet at the instant it is delivered upon the pile for flattening out the sheets in stacked position and are of i value and importance in speeding up production in the case of light papers which are otherwise difiicult to stack. More particularly, however, the invention has to do,with novel and improved mechanism for delivering upon the sheet as it is stacked, a very fine spray or mist of atomized liquid laden with a substantial component of solid matter, such liquid being of a character to be almost instantly volatilized as the spray strikes the sheet so as to leave a deposit of very minute solid particles upon the sheet which effects a small spacing between successively deposited sheets of the stack. The film or deposit of minute particles thus laid upon the printed surface along with the quickened oxidizing of the ink by the spacing thus provided is highly effective in preventing oflfset between the sheets and smudging of the ink.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a spraying unit of this type that is compact and rigid, adapted to be attached complete to the press virtually as a part thereof'and not requiring additional floor space.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a spraying apparatus of the described type equipped with provision for. automatic control directly from the printing press cylinder and arranged so that the spray is only operative when the press cylinder is in lowered operative position.

A further object is to provide means whereby the spray may be easily and precisely varied and controlled, both as to duration and intensity and is directed upon the stack sheet most efiectively for its intended purpose.

A further object is to provide means embodied in an adjustable cam device to control exactly the timing and extent of duration of the spray.

Still further objects are to provide spraying mechanism wherein a single source of compressed air is employed both to produce the atomizing spray upon the sheet and through novel valve devices to control closely the intensity of the spraying.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the distinctive features of novelty will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of -a printing press equipped with our invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof Figure 3 is a view of the front or delivery end of the press with our invention applied thereto;

Figure 4 is a detailed vertical section of the material tank with the connections thereto:

Figure 5 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing the spray head and its control plunger;

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the valve structure which controls the inlet and exhaust of air for governing the action of the spray head;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing more particularly the connections from the press cylinder for controlling the spray head;

Figure 8 is a detailed section on line 8--8 of Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the piping connections of the compressed air and spraying material to the spray head.

Ill indicates a printing press which may be of any usual or suitable type having a press cylinder ll mounted in bearings for small vertical movement as indicated at I! between a lower operative or printing position and an upper inoperative position. l3 indicates generally a suitable sheet delivery mechanism which delivers the sheets to a stacking station ll where the sheets are succesively deposited on a stack l5. In accordance with "our invention a spray head" l6 is'dnounted directly over the stack IS on a suitable support which is in the present instance shown as the pipes for supplying air and spraying material 0 this head. While the height pf this spray hea above the stack may be varied we have found that the best results are obtained by locating it about 48 inches above the stack. This provides an ample distance to permit the atomizing action of the air pressure to exert its full effect so that the spray is deposited gently and as a light mist upon the deposited sheet. When sprayed from approximately this height, the particles of liquid remain loose on the surface of the sheet and eventually fall of! in handling. Whereas if the spray is located closer to the paper, the atomized liquid is apt to be forced into the texture or into the coating of the paper with objectionable results. By reason of the central location of this spray head directly over the sheet stack, and as shown midway of the width of the stack, the spray is laid upon the sheets most effectively and economically so that a minimum amount of the material is required and very little escapes. This spray head which is shown more particularly in Figure 5 comprises a spray gun I! which may have a usual spray nozzle l8 controlled by needle valve |9. -Air pressure to this nozzle is supplied through a valved pipe connection 20, said valve having its stem 2| controlled by a lever 22 pivoted to the frame at 23.

. 24 denotes the pipe connection supplying the fluid spray material to the spray gun," this pipe leading to a material supply tank 25 mounted as shown at the front end of the stacking frame of the machine. The pipe 24 has an extension 24a leading to the lower part of this tank so that substantially all the material therein may be forced out through said pipe by compressed air supplied through a pipe 26. 21 denotes a pressure air main which supplies the tank pressure I through the pipe 26 with an interposed pressure regulator 26a. which regulatesthe tank pressure, and a gage 26bnwhich indicates such pressure. The pressure air main 2'! is equipped with a gage 21a to show the working air pressure of the pressure main. The pipe connection 20 for supplying air pressure to operate the spray gun leads from the air pressure main 2'! with an interposed pressure regulator 29a to regulate the spray gun air pressure and with a gage 20b to indicate such pressure. The material tank 25 may be a usual closed tank type with a. V-shaped. bottom having an opening 25a therein for drainage, and with a filling cap 25b in its top, having attached thereto a rod 250 to measure the quantity of liquid in the tank. The operation of the spray gun I! is controlled by air pressure through a pipe connection 28 which acts on a plunger 29 operating in the cylinder 39 mounted on a sleeve 3| fixed to the spray gun housing. For this purpose the plunger 29 is borne by a tubular rod 32 fitted to slide through a packing nut 33 in the lower end of the cylinder 30. The tubular rod 32 bears at its lower end-a head 34 which engages the lever. 22 from underneath to operate the valve stem 2| and thus control atomizing air pressure. The needle valve 9 extends upward through tubular rod 32 and has a head |9a adjustably fixed at its upper end as shown by means of a set screw l9b. This head |9a is positioned so as to be engaged by a'boss on the plunger 29 as it moves upward to effect proper timed opening of the needle valve on the opening of the air pressure. The extent to which the needle valve thus opens may be determined by an adjusting screw 35 threaded in the upper end of the cylinder 30 with a knurled head 35a for convenient manipulation, this screw having a passage therethrough for receiving and guiding the upper .end of the valve IS. A compression coil spring 36 is housed between the inner end of the screw 35 and the head |9a for effecting closing of the valve I9 upon downward movement of the plunger. Thus the extent to which the air blast from the spray head is laden with fluid matter may be conveniently determined and regulated by merely adjusting the screw 35.

The pipe connection 28 from the cylinder 30 leads to a valve housing 31 fixed at the side of the machine and having a valve device controlled by the movement of the press cylinder, as now to be described. A branch 21b from the air pressure main leads to this valve housing with an interposed pressure regulator 21c and gage 21d to regulate and indicate the working air pressure for controlling the opening of the spray gun. 38 indicates an intake valve which controls the flow of air from the pipe 21b to the spray gun-connection 28. This valve is acted on' by a compression coil spring 39 tending to close it and it is formed with an apertured and hollowed out tubular extension 38a through which operates an exhaust valve 40 which controls a port 4| formed in the passage through the hollow stem 38a of the inlet valve, thisport leading to an exhaust opening 42. The valve 4'0 has an inner reduced stem extension 49a thereof guided in an axial passage of the valve 38 and a compression coil spring 43 is housed in the inner end of said passage to act on the valve stem 40a and tend to press the exhaust valve 40 open. An outer extension stem 4% of the exhaust valve 40 is guided through the outer end of the housing 31 where its outer extremity is in position to be engaged by a push bar 44. The push bar 44 is slidably guided in bearing brackets 45 at the side of the machine frame and it extends rearward to the locality of the end of the press cylinder where its extremity is pivoted at 46 to one end of a bell crank lever 41 fulcrumed at 48 on the machine frame. This bell crank lever is acted upon by a tension spring 49 which tends to pull it and the push bar 44 rearward so that the lever arm engages a stop 50 fixed on the machine frame. The other end of this bell crank lever bears a roller 5| which engages from underneath a two-part cam 52 with two portions side by side relatively adjustable so as to present raised or operative cam portions 52a, 5217 that may be varied in extent as required, by relative adjustment of these cam portions. The two cam portions 52a, 52b may be clamped together in the desired position of relative adjustment by clamp screws 52c. The composite or split cam thus provided is adjustably mounted as a whole on a short shaft 53 journaled in the bearing block I2 of the press cylinder at one end thereof. These bearing blocks I 2 in the type of press herein illustrated are mounted for small vertical movement in bearing guides 2a of the machine frame to move the press cylinder upward to inoperative position and downward to operative or printing position and thus the cam 52 and its operating connection, from the press cylinder, the same to be presently described partakes of such vertical movement. The shaft 53 has fixed at the inner end thereof a gear 54 which meshes with a smaller pinion 55 fixed at the end of the press cylinder, this gear and pinion being, as shown, in a two to one ratio, though within the contemplation of the invention other gear ratios might be employed and if desired the cam 52 might be fixed directly on the end of the press cylinder. It will now be understood that the described operation of the spray gun is directly under the control of the press cylinder and that the spray gun is only operative when the press cylinder is lowered to operative position for printing, while when the press cylinder is raised to inoperative position the cam 52 is raised along with the cylinder far enough so that the raised portions 52a, 52b thereof do not at all engage the roller 5| of the bell crank lever 41 and hence the spray remains inoperative so long as the press cylinder is inoperative.

We consider this provision to be of value and importance for the reason that the spraying device is thus directly co-related with the operation of the press cylinder or other impression producing element, and the spray is only delivered when there are sheets being printed and stacked to receive the spray. Thus the spray material is used most economically and without waste, and there is no unnecessary spreading of objectionable fumes in the press room. With prior spray devices so far as known to us, these have been controlled by the operation of the sheet delivery mechanism, or like operative portions of the press, or by some control not directly co-related to the cylinder or other impression element, and hence the spray would continue to operate as long as the press continued to run, even though the press cylinder remained in inoperative position and no printing was being done. In such case and if the delivery of printed sheets to the stack were stopped the last sheet on the stack might be sprayed several times'in succession so that the sheet following might be glued thereto. This double sheet run through the press again for the application of an additional color might cause irreparable damage to the press and engravings due to the extra thickness. Economy and eificiency in operation of the spraying device is further enhanced and improved by the location of the spray head directly over and approximately central of the sheet stack and thus, and by proper gaging of the amount of spray delivered by the adjusting devices set forth, minimum waste of the spray may be insured as well as maximum efiiciency as the spray is projected directly downward in a fine mist from the relatively high position of the spray head over the sheet stack. While we show herein a single spray head, it will be understood that for large sizes of press or of printed sheets, two or more spray guns may be employed as set forth and all located directly over the sheets stack and preferably symmetrical with respect thereto.

Should a continuous spray be desired for special work, this can easily be provided by substituting a plain circular disk for the cam 52. We also consider of value and importance the desired construction and arrangement of the spray apparatus herein. All parts are substantially within the floor space limits of the press itself and all rigidly and securely assembled therewith so as to constitute virtually an integral part of the press unit. Referring particularly to the operation of the spray controlling valves, it will be noted that by reason of the lost motion between the exhaust valve 40 and the intake valve 38,-

the exhaust valve 40 is first fully closed by the operation of the push rod 44 and before the intake valve 38 opens, and that on the reverse the pressure intake valve 38 will be fully closed by the spring 39 before the exhaust valve 40 starts to open under the action of the spring 43 and the exhaust pressure.

We are aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a printing press hav ing a rotatable printing cylinder movable to a lowered operative printing position and to an inoperative non-printing position during the running operation of the press, means for delivering printed sheets to a stack, a spraying device for spraying a liquid substance upon the respective printed sheets after they leave the delivery means, and means operable only when said printing cylinder is moved to printing position for intermittently operating said spraying device in timed relation to the operation of the printed sheet delivery means, said means comprising a member operatively associated with the printing cylinder for movement therewith to operating and non-operating positions when the cylinder is respectively moved to operative and non-operative positions, and means so operatively associated with the spraying device and so located in respect to said member as to operate the spraying device and be operated by said member when said member is in operative position.

2. The combination with a printing press having a rotatable printing cylinder movable to a lowered operative printing position as the sheets to be printed pass therebeneath and movable to a raised non-printing position, a stacking platform, delivery mechanism for stacking the printed sheets upon said stacking platform, a spraying device including a spray nozzle supported above said stacking platform, and means operable by the rotation of said printing cylinder only when in lowered printing position for intermittently actuating said spray device, said means comprising a member so operatively associated with said cylinder as to be operated thereby when said cylinder is rotating in its printing position, and means so operatively associated with the spring device and so'located in respect tosaid member as to operate the spraying device and be operated by said member when said member is in operative position. i

3. The combination with a printing press having a continuously driven rotatable printing cylinder movable to a lowered operative printing position as the sheets to be printed successively pass therebeneath and movable to a raised nonprinting position, a sheet stacking platform, delivering mechanism for stacking the printed sheets upon said stacking platform, a pneumatic ally actuated spraying device including a spray nozzle supported above said stacking platform, a control valve for controlling the pneumatic actuation of said pneumatically actuated spraying device, and means operable only during the printing of a subsequent sheet upon the rotation of said printing cylinder when in lowered operative printing position for intermittently actuating said control valve to spray a previously printed sheet, said means comprising a member so operatively associated with said cylinder as to be operated thereby when said cylinder is rotating in its lowered operative printing position, and means so operatively associated with said control valve and so located in respect to said member as to be operated by said member when said member is in operative position. I

4. The combination with a printing press having a continuously driven rotatable printing cylinder movable to a lowered operative printing position as the sheets to be printed successively pass therebeneath and movable to a raised nonprinting position, a sheet stacking platform, delivering mechanism for stacking the printed sheets upon said stacking platform, a pneumatically actuated spraying device including a spray nozzle supported above said stacking platform, a control valve for controlling the pneumatic actuof said printing cylinder when in lowered operative printing position for intermittently actuating said control valve, said means including a cam operatively connected with said printing cylinder and movable therewith to lowered and raised positions, and mechanism connected with said control valve and operatively engageable by said cam for actuating said control valve when the printing cylinder is in lowered printing position.

5. The combination with a printing press having a continuously driven rotatable printing cylinder movable to a lowered operative printing position as the sheets to be printed successively pass therebeneath and movable to a raised nonprinting position, a sheet stacking platform, de-

' livered mechanism for stacking the printed sheets upon said stacking platform, a pneumatically actuated spraying device including a spray nozzle supported above said stacking platform, a control valve for controlling the pneumatic actuation of said pneumatically actuated spraying device, means operable only during the rotation of said printing cylinder when in lowered operative printing position for intermittently actuating ALESSANDRO D. DELLA CHIESA. LOUIS P. FROEHLICH. 

